Baptism (Christening)

Although baptism is usually associated with babies or infants, people of any age can be welcomed into the church family by being baptised. Adults interested in baptism should contact the clergy through the parish office (01257 231360) for more information. For babies or children, baptism services usually take place at St Laurence’s on the third Sunday of the month at 12noon. This takes the form of an informal celebration, often involving more than one family. This page tells you more about what you need to do if you want your child to be baptised.

Because families sometimes haven’t had much recent contact with the Church, taking the first step can be a bit nerve-racking. Many people are not quite sure exactly what baptism means.

We want to try to make things easier for you, so that, if you do decide to have your child baptised, you will understand exactly what is involved and be comfortable about what is expected of you.

What we ask you to do is this:

Come to St. Laurence’s any Sunday for our 10am Eucharist. After the service there will be someone available to speak to you and discuss your booking.

Come to the Baptism preparation class which takes place on the first Saturday of each month at 10am. You would normally come to the session two weeks before the baptism but we are flexible if another preparation session suits you best.

After the baptism we invite you to attend the Family Service the following month (2nd Sunday of the month) where we present you with the baptism certificate and welcome you formally into the worshipping life of the wider community.

Does my child have to be baptised as a baby?

Not at all. Most years at St Laurence’s adults or teenagers who have not been baptised as children are baptised. It is becoming a more common practice.

What is the difference between baptism and christening?

None. They are different names for the same ceremony.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. There are no fees or charges of any kind for a baptism. There is however the ‘cost’ of keeping the promises for the rest of your life. We do, however, invite families to make a generous donation towards the upkeep of St. Laurence’s Church.

What about Godparents?

Godparents have to make some serious promises. They must be baptised themselves and they should also have been confirmed. To help them, it would be good if the people you are thinking of asking came along to the classes with you. If they are not already worshipping at another Church, it would probably be helpful for them to come to St Laurence’s with you as well. You can always have someone act as a sponsor if they haven’t been baptised.

Could you refuse to baptise my child?

No. We want your child to be baptised! But baptism isn’t just a one-off thing – it’s a lifetime commitment. We want to help you with that. That’s why we provide some preparation. But the final decision will be entirely yours.

What happens in the baptism service?

This will be explained to you in your baptism preparation.

Once the Baptism service is over is anything else expected of me?

In the baptism service you will have made promises about worshipping regularly and being a member of the Church. We’d really love you to come and worship with us and be part of our community life.

What do I do now?

Come along any Sunday at 10am and we look forward to chatting with you!